


we made a lot of music dancing (you and i)

by vll8586



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ballet, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Ballet, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Romance, Roommates, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:41:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25019437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vll8586/pseuds/vll8586
Summary: Childhood friends and current roommates Percy and Annabeth are both professional ballet dancers. Annabeth is a soloist at NYC Ballet and Percy is a soloist at American Ballet Theater, also in New York. Although Percy and Annabeth are good friends, they keep their professional lives separate. That all changes when NYCB and ABT decide to work together to put on a special series of performances, and Percy and Annabeth are cast to perform a pas de deux together. Working together, and therefore sharing the highs and lows of creating a great performance, takes their relationship to the next level.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 33
Kudos: 260
Collections: PJO/HOO Big Bang 2020





	we made a lot of music dancing (you and i)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this oneshot for the PJO/HOO Big Bang 2020!  
> Thank you to my wonderful artists Dayoung (lee-dayoung331), Felicia (felibubu). and Nina (silima). And thank you to my betas Erin and Bia (screechinganakonda and theseaofmonster).  
> Also huge thank you to all the mods for organizing this big bang!!  
> Be sure to check out the Big Bang Collection for all the other fics and check out tumblr to see all the art!

  
  


Part 1

It’s always hectic when cast lists are posted. In this day and age, they really should just email them out and save everyone the hassle, but the drama is probably part of the appeal. 

Annabeth is especially nervous about this upcoming casting. It’s the first round of performance opportunities since she was promoted to soloist from demi-soloist. The performance that’s being casted is also a brand new project for the New York City Ballet. 

It’s no secret that interest in the live arts has been decreasing over time and many performance companies are worried about their futures. So what does any artist do when they want a bigger audience? A collaboration, of course. So, for the first time ever, NYCB and American Ballet Theater are collaborating to put on a series of summer performances outside of their usual season. For an added element of novelty, they will be combining companies, NYCB dancers and ABT dancers dancing together at every level.

More than anything else, Annabeth is hoping for a solo. The program is going to be selections from many ballets, instead of one long show, so the odds are in her favor. 

She waits in line to see the list, then quickly finds her name near the top.

_Chase, Annabeth. Rubies Pas De Deux, Bluebird Pas De Deux and Variation._

And variation. Those are the words Annabeth wants to see. The Bluebird variation from Sleeping Beauty isn’t the most exciting variation by any means and it is quite short, but it’s still a solo. She scans the rest of the list looking for who could be her partner for the pas de deux, but she doesn’t see it listed anywhere else.

That means her partner must be from ABT. She’s a little surprised, to say the least. She assumed the corps de ballet would be combined or mixed, but not pas de deux and even principal roles.

As she walks away from the casting sheet, she’s wondering who her partner will be. NYCB performs much more Balachine than anyone else and they’re trained in his specific style. An ABT dancer may have some struggles catching on to that, so she feels sorry for whoever has to do Rubies with her. She just hopes he’s up for the challenge. 

Maybe Annabeth can get a heads up from Percy. She considers calling him, but it’s awkward talking on the phone on the subway, so she decides to wait until she’s home. 

The shower is running when she gets back to her tiny two bedroom apartment. Annabeth sets her bag by the door and immediately starts rummaging around in the kitchen. She’s always starving by the end of day, and even though the day was light since it’s the end of the season, she’s ready for some dinner. If only her roommate would get out of the shower and make it for her, since he’s the better cook.

It’s a rare night when neither of them have performances, so Annabeth is looking forward to actually sitting and talking to him instead of seeing him for a moment before one of them is running out the door.

She’s pan searing some chicken when he emerges from the bathroom. He peeks his head in to greet her.

“Hi, Percy,” she smiles. 

His hair is wet and she can tell that he’s not wearing a shirt. 

“Is that chicken?” he asks.

“Yep.”

“Did you season it before putting it in the pan this time?”

“Yes, Percy,” she laughs. “I used lemon pepper. Now, get dressed, so we can talk.”

Percy nods and a bit of water goes flying to the floor. He emerges from his room a minute later in joggers and a plain T-shirt. The kitchen is barely big enough for the two of them, so he leans against the wall and says, “I’ll take over in here, if you don’t mind.”

She has to squeeze past him to get out of the room and he catches her in a hug along the way. He smells amazing and his toned arms grip her tightly. It’s over far too soon for Annabeth’s liking, but she fears holding onto him longer would send the wrong message. Which is that she’s insanely attracted to him and definitely in love with him.

It’s not the wrong message because it’s untrue, it’s wrong because he can’t know it. They’re best friends and roommates, she can’t ruin that, especially not when they’re both so focused on their careers. They don’t have time to deal with a relationship, and even less time to deal with a ruined friendship. 

They switch places and he takes care of the chicken while also chopping up a salad. She watches him as he works and almost gets so lost in the beauty of his stature and how his eyes look when he’s focused that she forgets that she wanted to ask him a question. 

They’re halfway through eating together sitting on the sofa in their living room (it’s not big enough for a full sized couch) when Annabeth remembers.

“Oh!” she says. “Did you get the cast list for the summer thing?”

“Oh yeah, I meant to ask you about that too. I’m doing Rubies and the Bluebird,” he says with a smile. 

Annabeth’s jaw drops. 

“What? Are you surprised I got such good parts even though I’m only a demi-soloist?” he teases.

“No, I’m surprised because I’m also doing Rubies and the Bluebird.”

Percy sets his plate down on the coffee table and turns to her. “Are you kidding?”

She mirrors him. “Why would I lie about this?”

“So, you’re telling me that I get to dance with the Annabeth Chase, soloist and rising star of the New York City Ballet?”

“And I get to dance with my best friend?” She matches his enthusiasm. 

He’s hugging her again and Annabeth lets herself feel excited. She and Percy haven’t danced together in years, not since they went their separate ways to the schools for ABT and NYCB at the end of high school. 

She pulls away again, stopping herself from getting carried away. What she wants to do is climb into his lap and feel the muscles in his back with her hands while she kisses him senseless, but as previously mentioned, that would send the wrong message. Instead she just smiles at him and picks up her plate.

“I have a confession,” he says. Annabeth almost drops the plate. His chin is tilted down and he’s looking at her through his eyelashes.

“Yes?”

“I don’t like Balanchine,” he admits. 

Annabeth lets out a breath. “I knew that. You’ve never liked Balanchine. That’s why you didn’t want to dance for NYCB.”

“I just wanted to make sure you knew because Rubies is going to kick my butt.”

“I don’t think it’s the dance you have to worry about. You’ll have to watch out for Ballet Master Clarisse.”

Percy grins at her. “This is going to be fun.”

She thinks about what they’re getting into; riding the train to rehearsal together everyday, taking class together, hours and hours learning and rehearsing these pas de deux, their bodies in perfect sync. Annabeth doesn’t know if she’ll be able to handle so much time with him, especially so much time in such close proximity. Her stomach churns a little. 

“Yeah, it is.”

  
  


Part 2.

“More hips, Percy,” Clarisse says. They’re not even thirty seconds into the Rubies pas de deux and Ballet Master Clarisse is already yelling. “Okay, let’s pause there.” 

The pianist stops and Percy and Annabeth drop their hands and lower their arms from the V position they were holding. It’s the third day of rehearsal for the summer concert series and they’ve learned the entirety of the choreo for the three minute excerpt of Rubies they’ll be performing. 

Knowing the choreography is one thing. Performing it up to standard is another. 

Clarisse stands up from her chair and Annabeth rests her hands on her hips as she breathes. 

“You know the steps,” Clarisse says. “You can do the steps. What we’re missing is the character of the piece. It’s fun, it’s flirty, it’s quirky.”

Annabeth nods and watches Percy’s face in the mirror. He’s biting his lower lip nervously, but his eyes are glued to Clarisse, giving her his full attention. 

“From the top again, please,” she says. 

Annabeth assumes her position in front of Percy and the pianist starts again. 

She focuses on her own body and the steps and tries not to pay too much attention to how Percy’s hand feels in hers or how she’s definitely getting her sweat all over him. 

“Hit this penché, Annabeth. Full 180. Beautiful.”

Clarisse doesn’t stop them as they continue to dance but Annabeth can tell from the look on her face that she’s not satisfied. The Rubies pas de deux has some long sections where Annabeth has to stay en pointe and her feet are getting more and more tired with every run. It’s nothing compared to the pressure of dancing a full ballet in the corps, but she still feels the strain. Pointe never really gets easier. 

Her mind is wandering enough for her to make a mistake. From another penché with her right leg extended behind her to a developpe devant with her leg extended in front of her, Percy catches her ankle and uses it to push her leg up. Her bottom foot isn’t planted well enough, so when Percy gives her top leg the additional force, her supporting foot flies out from under her. Before she falls backwards, Percy’s arm catches her around her back and his grip tightens on her ankle. For a moment, Percy is holding up completely in the air by her back and ankle. She lets out a little gasp, but a second later she places her foot firmly back on the floor and tries to catch up with the choreo, which is yet another penché. 

They finish the piece and as soon as the pianist plays the final note, Percy’s hand is on Annabeth’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?” he asks. Annabeth looks up at him. His brow is furrowed in concern. “I really grabbed your ankle.”

“I’m fine,” she exhales. “Thanks for catching me.”

Before Percy can respond, Clarisse says, “Let’s run that section again, then wrap up. Percy, I don’t know how else to say this. You need to loosen up. Silena will be here soon to get you started on Bluebird.”

Ten minutes later, they’re outside of the studio leaning against the wall and drinking water. 

The entire rehearsal process has been expedited for the summer. During a regular season, they would have more time on each ballet, but so much more material to learn. The performances are two and half weeks away, which is really no time at all. Even though it’s not a strictly NYCB performance, Annabeth still has a lot on the line. She has to prove to the directors that she can carry the title of soloist, and as much as she loves Percy, his dancing can’t get in the way of that. 

Seeming to read her mind, Percy says, “I just need a little more time with that piece.”

“I know I haven’t danced with you in years, but I don’t remember you being so tense,” she says. It comes out pretty harsh, harsher than she intended. 

“I told you I don’t like Balanchine,” he mumbles. 

“It’s not just Balanchine, Percy. You’re acting like you’ve never danced Balanchine before. Is Clarisse making you nervous?” she interrogates him. 

“No, it’s not Clarisse.”Percy can’t meet her eye and he’s holding his water bottle in front of his chest like a lifeline. 

“Then, what is it?”

Sometimes Annabeth can be really intense. Percy is used to that. He’s sat through his fair share of her rants about her rehearsals, performances, or coworkers. But she rarely directs this kind of energy towards him. 

Annabeth recognizes this and softens. She takes a step back and says, “I’m sorry. You’re doing a good job.”

“Now I feel like you’re only saying that because you have two more hours of rehearsal with me,” he says. 

“No, I mean it,” she says. She puts her hand on his shoulder. “You’re so solid. I mean look at the way you caught me.”

She’s a mess. A complete mess. Her body is radiating anxiety. 

Percy places his hand over hers on her shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “We should get back in there.”

“Yeah, hold on,” Annabeth says. “I need to find my platter tutu.”

She turns away from him to leave, but he holds her hand, stopping her. “It’s going to be okay. We can talk more when we get home.”

She nods at him with a small smile. Something tweaks in her heart. _When we get home._

Part 3.

“Soft, Annabeth, soft,” Ballet Master Silena says. “These bourees need to be the lightest little steps you’ve ever taken and then really extend the arabesque.”

Annabeth nods at her then moves through the step sequence again.

“Better. Now with Percy.” The pianist starts the piece again. “Beautiful, sautee. Really get that air time Percy. Annabeth, keep the hands delicate. Remember, you’re listening to your beautiful blue bird. He’s singing to you and you love it.” 

Silena’s voice almost sings along to the music in a way that Annabeth isn’t used to because she works for ABT, but Annabeth tries to take in her words as she dances. Silena teaches them a section of the choreography and then they run it and before too long they reach the end of the pas de deux section of the variation. It ends with the iconic bluebird lift. 

“For this lift,” Silena starts. “Annabeth, you don’t even have to really jump. Let Percy lift you. He’s going to get you on his shoulder with this hand and he’ll use the other to hold you front up. You just have to engage your back and core and look pretty. He’ll do the rest of the work for you. Okay? Let’s try it.” 

Annabeth thinks back to the first time Percy lifted her. They were fifteen, the year Percy grew several inches taller than her and stopped looking so much like a young boy. 

“I bet I could press you now,” he said one day at the studio. 

“You sure about that?” she’d asked.

They found an empty studio and pulled up a youtube video of some Russians explaining how to do it. The idea of literally putting all of her weight in Percy’s hands made her a little nervous, but his smile was so reassuring and he seemed genuinely excited to try it. 

“Show me some push ups first,” she teased. He dropped and gave her twenty without hesitation and she couldn't help but laugh. “Okay, okay. Get up here.” 

They stood facing the mirror and Annebeth piqued into an arabesque. Percy’s firm hands came underneath her back leg and to the junction where her hip met her side. 

“Remember to keep your back up,” he said. “And push down with your leg too.”

“Mhm, remember not to drop me,” she replied. 

He bent his legs into a demi plie then pushed up, taking her with him until his arms were fully extended over his head. At the top, Annabeth bent her lower leg to bring it to a retiré. She held the position for a moment then extended her leg back to the floor, letting Percy know she was ready to be put down. He lowered her slowly and she made sure to finish in a nice position before turning to him with the biggest grin on her face.

“Look at you!” she said, raising her hands up for a high five. 

He put his hands against hers and let their fingers intertwine. 

Annabeth used to love dancing with Percy and it nearly broke her heart when they decided to go to different ballet schools. 

But now she's here, lifted by his strong arms again. He balances her on his shoulder and she flicks her wrists along to the music until he shifts her back into his arms and places her gently on her knee for their final pose.There’s a moment where they look each other in the eye before their final arm placement and Annabeth but can’t help but smile. He returns the look easily, the corners of his eyes crinkling and she could have stared into his sea green eyes forever, if the music allowed it. 

Part 4. 

Annabeth and Percy’s living room is always a mess. Their collection of foam rollers, therabands and other contraptions litters what little floor space there is. 

Annabeth is rolling out her lower back (all those penches are taking a toll) when Percy sits on the sofa. 

“How’d your solo rehearsal for Bluebird go?” he asks. 

“That variation is so cute but it’s hard,” she sighs. 

“Right?”

“How’d yours go?”

“A whole lot of jumping.”

“I’m sure you’re going to be great. You make a good bluebird.”

She slides off the roller and just lies on her back looking up at the ceiling. There’s a moment of silence, then Percy starts whistling. It’s the melody of the Bluebird duet, the song that Annabeth’s character loves to hear. She closes her eyes and listens. It’s surprisingly relaxing until he breaks off in the middle of the melody and says, “I’m stressing you out, aren’t I?”

“You’re not,” she says. “I’m sorry about today. You know I just want everything to be perfect.”

“And you know that there’s no such thing as perfect.”

She sits up and holds out her hands. He takes them without hesitation and helps her off the floor. Instead of standing all the way, she keeps her spine curved and pulls against Percy’s grip to stretch her back. They’re used to doing things like that to help each other. 

“Honestly, I’m nervous,” she groans.

He tugs her onto the sofa. “I’m nervous too. I don’t want to let you down.”

Annabeth wraps her arms around his waist and rests her head on his chest. She tries to pour out reassurance and trust. “That’s not going to happen.”

“Let’s try to relax and actually have fun dancing tomorrow.”

“Dancing? Fun? That’s unheard of,” she jokes. 

When he chuckles, she can feel his chest vibrate. She sits up. They were too close, too comfortable. She might’ve done something stupid; look up into his gorgeous eyes and tilt her chin towards his face, so he would kiss her. Except he wouldn’t kiss her because they’re just friends. And roommates. And coworkers. She needs to learn how to keep her hands to herself. 

Part 5. 

The weeks pass in the blink of an eye and suddenly Annabeth is standing backstage in her jeweled red leotard. She keeps rolling through her feet to keep them warm as she waits. Percy’s doing the same thing next to her. 

He catches her eyes and gives her a nod before the lights dim on stage and the dancers exit to the applause of the audience. 

The Rubies pas de deux starts with her left hand in his and his right hand under her other arm, so they assume that position before running onstage in the black out. 

It’s just like they rehearsed, only better. Dancing in front of hundreds of people always gives Annabeth a buzz and with Percy on stage with her, it feels like the best she’s ever performed. 

Part 6.

“Hey, listen to this,” Percy says. It’s a few days after opening night and the reviews of the collaboration performances are coming in. Percy is laying on top of a tennis ball on their living room floor with his phone in his hand, while Annabeth is sitting beside him sewing the ribbons on a new pair of pointe shoes. She goes through them quickly, so she tries to sew a few pairs at a time. 

They’re both wearing sweats and she’s glad to have a break from leotards and tights. 

He reads, “NYCB’s Annabeth Chase and ABT’s Percy Jackson form a captivating pair on stage. I’m hopeful to see more of their work together in the future.”

Annabeth’s face heats up. “That’s quite the compliment,” she says. “I’m proud of us. We earned it.”

“Do you think that the companies will do the collaboration again next year?” he asks.

“If it makes them enough money, then probably.”

“Would you want to dance with me again?”

“It won’t be up to us, but if it were, I would.” 

She leaves it at that. It’s never been easy for Annabeth to fully express her feelings in words. It’s easier with Percy than others, but she fears that if she starts talking too much about how she feels about him, she won’t be able to stop. So she just nudges him with her foot instead.

“Want me to do some of those shoes?” he asks, sitting up and massaging his shoulder. Annabeth has seen Percy sew elastics on his own shoes several times, but he’s never offered to do hers before. “Come on, you know I know how to sew.”

“But you don’t know how I do it,” she laughs. 

“I just watched you do it for, like, twenty minutes.”

“You were watching me?”

His eyes get wide. “Not like _watching you_ watching you. I was just observing and learning.” 

Annabeth grins. “Yeah, okay. You can do the ribbons. I’ll do the elastics because I have to measure those on my ankles.”

She finds him another needle and thread and they get to work. She can tell that he’s really focusing as he sews because he gets really quiet and he bites gently on his lower lip. His fingers work diligently and she tries not to stare. 

He’s so kind and thoughtful and helpful. Annabeth doesn’t know what she did to deserve him. 

Well, she doesn’t really have him. She has him for now as a friend and roommate. A partner. One half of a captivating pair. But just as the summer performances will end, so will everything else. It’s only a matter of time before he meets someone and eventually their lease will be up and they’ll stop living together. And she’ll see him even less than she does now.  
“Annabeth, is something wrong?” Percy’s voice interrupts her thoughts. 

She keeps her gaze on her hands and the pointe shoe in her lap. “No, I just was thinking about the future.”

“Why’d you look so sad?”

Annabeth can’t tell him that she’s going to miss him before he’s even begun to leave her. 

“We’re just not going to see each other as much,” she says. Even though she was worried about spending so much extra time with Percy, she has to admit that she’s actually loved working with him, and riding the train together, and rolling out their tired muscles together at night. She’s loved that time not because of what they were doing, but because she simply loves spending time with him. 

The corners of his mouth turn down a bit and Annabeth immediately feels guilty. 

“You’re right,” he says. “I’m going to miss y- miss dancing with you. But you know we can always dance with each other when we’re at home.”

“So, wanna help me break in these shoes a bit?” she smiles, taking him up on his offer.

They finish their sewing and Percy clears some space in the middle of the room while Annabeth puts on her toe pads and slips the shoes on. She rolls through her feet slowly, purposefully trying to soften the shoes. 

Percy plays some music off his phone and jokingly shimmies his shoulders as he walks over to her. She can’t help but laugh and mimics his movement. They goof around for a bit then start actually doing some of their favorite ballet steps. Without paying any attention to choreography or making anything cohesive, they dance. It’s a mix of improv and them talking about things they want to try, and they move around enough to work up a sweat. Someone else might wonder why they’re dancing so much when they should be using this down time to rest from dancing, but to Annabeth nothing feels better than moving her body to music (and it’s even better when Percy is involved).

She piques into an elongated attitude position with her leg slightly bent behind her, and Percy puts his hand on her shoulder blade. She connects them by putting her hand on his back, too. Their eyes meet for a moment and the position clicks perfectly into place. It feels so right. 

Percy must feel it too because he grins. With just one hand he tips her off her leg and towards him. She drops her leg and let’s him turn her around in a huge dramatic dip, with her back arched and her arm over her head. It seems like some kind of big finish and they hold the position to imaginary applause.

She’s a little out of breath then starts laughing. Percy pulls her up and she holds onto his arms. 

“We make a good pair,”’ he chuckles along with her. 

Annabeth pulls him into a hug. He easily wraps his arms around his back. Yes, they do make a good pair, so she nods against his chest. 

_(<https://felibubu.tumblr.com/>)_  
  


Part 7. 

Annabeth usually doesn’t mind closing nights. She’s usually completely exhausted and ready to move on to a new ballet by the time closing night rolls around. She usually feels genuine happiness as she’s doing her final bows for the audience and absolute relief when the curtain falls.

That’s not the case for this closing night. 

She’s waiting in the wings for her and Percy’s cue to run onstage for their final bows of the summer performances. They’re in their bluebird costumes, so Percy has to stand a bit away from her to avoid the platter tutu, but she wishes he would hold her. 

When the time comes, she runs out ahead of him to take a solo curtsey and he follows after her. They take a second to look at each other before turning their gaze back out and thanking the audience again. His eyes are sparkling in the stage lights and Annabeth's heart swells. She’s so proud of him and the work they put in on the stage. 

She steps away from him to curtsey again and before their final bow, he tilts his head down to just her, as a silent thank you. When he looks up and meets her eyes, she mouths, “I love you.”

If he responds, she doesn’t see it because they have to hurry up and get off stage. After that, she practically runs away from him, mumbling something about getting out of costume. He finds her again, of course. They’re going to take the train home just like they have every other night after the performances. 

They’re both back in tank tops and shorts with their faces wiped clean of make up when they walk out of the theater. Annabeth is glad that everyone decided to get together for a brunch celebration the next day rather than do something that night. It’ll drag out the summer just a little longer.

They’re silent as they head to the train stop. The crowds of audience members are long gone and the subway is mostly empty. They wait for the train beside each other and Annabeth stifles a yawn.

It’s hot and she feels sticky all over. There’s even a sheen on Percy’s face. The light reflects off his cheekbones, making it almost look like he’s wearing highlighter. 

He must feel her looking at him because he turns his head. The warmest, softest smile spreads across his face and Annabeth can’t help but return it. 

She’s sure her cheeks are already pink from the heat, so she hopes he doesn’t notice the color deepen. 

“I love you, too,” Percy says. 

He leans down and presses the lightest of kisses to her forehead. This is her chance. She can say something or do something. He’s just told her that he loves her. That has to mean something. 

Annabeth takes a breath and leans forward ever so slightly, hoping he’ll take the hint. His eyes gaze down into hers and for a moment, it’s like they’re locked together.

The oncoming train screeches down the tunnel. It startles them both and breaks the moment. And the doubt comes in. 

Of course, Percy means love in an entirely platonic sense. He could have kissed her anywhere and he chose her forehead. Sure, he hugs her, but anytime they do anything that’s closer to cuddling, Annabeth is the one to initiate it. 

Thank goodness for that train. She almost made a big mistake. Percy has had literally years to make a move. If he wanted something more he would have jumped her already, and she has to accept that.

( _<https://lee-dayoung331.tumblr.com/>)_

Part 8.

Mildly avoiding your roommate for months is easier said than done, but being a professional dancer with an absolutely packed schedule helps. Annabeth lets NYCB run her life and anytime she’s home with Percy and the desire to hold his hand, or kiss him, or confess her love is too strong, she fakes a big yawn, says she’s tired and goes to bed. Or really she lies in bed staring at the ceiling wishing he was there with her. 

The worst part of it all is that she’s sure that if she asked him for affection, he would give it to her. He would massage her shoulders or be the big spoon. But that’s not what she wants. She wants him to want her.

On their way home from Thanksgiving at his mom’s apartment, the subway is mostly empty. The lack of people leaves room for the massive advertisements on the walls. Percy’s face lights up when he sees the first poster of the Holiday Market in Union Square. Christmas has always been his favorite holiday. 

“You wanna go to that?” Annabeth asks him. It, of course, happens during the busiest time of the year for them with Nutcracker performances.

“We probably won’t have time,” he admits. 

That breaks Annabeth’s heart. 

“No,” she says. “We’ll make time. I’ll make time. We’re going.”

Annabeth is fully prepared to call in sick or beg the directors to change her schedule so she and Percy get a night off together. Thankfully, the market is open every day of the week and they both don’t have a Nutcracker performance on a Monday, so they can go after their rehearsals during the day. 

They decide to meet at the market without stopping home first to maximize the time they have there before it closes, so Annabeth has to find Percy. She spots him easily because it’s not too crowded and he’s wearing a giant bright red scarf. There’s already a shopping bag on his shoulder.

“You started shopping without me?” she says as a way of greeting.

He pulls her into a quick hug, but doesn’t answer her question.

“It’s not a secret surprise present for me, is it?” she teases. 

As soon as she says it, she regrets it. She just put him in a really awkward position if it’s not. But he holds up his finger to his mouth and quietly shushes with a smile, and she knows she was right. 

“Let’s find some hot chocolate and apple cider,” he changes the subject. 

Christmas morning, Annabeth wakes up to find a wrapped gift under the miniature Christmas tree they have in their living room next to the one she left there before she fell asleep. Neither of them are rolling in the dough from their ballet careers, so they agreed a long time ago to give one gift for holidays and birthdays. Percy emerges from his room a moment later, still in his pajamas, looking sleepy. 

They’d been up late last night celebrating with their friends Rachel and Grover, and they need to leave in half an hour to get to Sally’s for brunch. Annabeth is too impatient to wait until the late afternoon to open Percy’s gift, so she not so subtly looks from the Christmas tree to his face. 

He chuckles. “You’re almost as bad as a kid,” he says. 

They sit beside each other on the sofa with their packages in their laps and open them at the same time. 

Percy immediately puts on the hat Annabeth gave him and with a huge smile on his face. 

“I knew you lost your other one,” she explains. “Read the card.”

His eyes run over the words and he shakes his head, still smiling. “Hey, we said only one present!” Annabeth just laughs. She’d written on the inside that he received a free coupon for a back walking massage from herself, any time he wanted. “But I will accept this gift as an exception, because I do absolutely love it when you walk on my back.” He puts his arm around her shoulder and gives her a squeeze. “Now yours.”

She finishes opening the box and she finds a beautiful holiday themed picture frame with an old picture of the two on them inside.

“Where did you find this?” she asks, her mouth agape.

“At the holiday market,” he answers.

“No, silly. The picture.”

“Oh, my mom had it.”

It’s from their first nutcracker, when they both were mice. The picture is absolutely adorable, so cute that tears start to form in Annabeth’s eyes. 

“It’s perfect. I love it,” she croaks. “We were so little. Remember when I was taller than you?”

“Look at the time.” Percy feigns looking at a watch on his wrist and stands up. He brushes a tear off her cheek and lends her a hand. He pulls her close to him and rests his chin on the top of her head. “Doesn’t matter anyway because I can do this now.” 

“Oh, shut up,” she says, but there’s no heat behind it. The only heat between them is the warmth in Annabeth’s heart. 

Part 9. 

“The casting lists go up today for the summer,” Percy says. He’s scrambling some eggs for his signature breakfast burritos while Annabeth leans up against the kitchen wall drinking a mug of tea. 

“I think ours do too,” she replies. 

“Is there a part you have your eye on?”

“Maybe the Mistress. She has some fun solos.”

After the collaboration was such a success last summer, the two ballet companies decided to team up again, only this time they’re going to put on a full length ballet, Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon. It’s a heartbreaking tragedy about a french girl named Manon who is torn between her true love, a poet, and a life of wealth. 

“You’re way too young and beautiful to play the Mistress,” Percy says, matter-of-factly. 

Annabeth doesn’t even register the compliment. 

“Well, I’ll just have to take what they give me,” she says. 

The year had been good for Annabeth in terms of rolls, but not amazing. She’d gotten to perform some amazing solos, but no principle roles, even though it wasn’t unheard of for soloists to do them. 

Percy also had a good year. He’d had a blast in the corps of Don Quixote, a new choreographer set an all male trio on him and two other dancers, and he played Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. At the end of the season he’s been granted the full title of soloist. 

As much as Annabeth wants a major role, she doesn’t want to get her hopes up. Dancing Manon would be so incredible. It’s a super challenging yet rewarding part and performing a principle role would just bring her to the next step of her career. 

Percy hands her a plate with a burrito on it and Annabeth’s mouth starts to water. They eat in silence because they don’t have time to dilly dally. 

Pretty soon, they’ll be riding the same trains every morning instead of going their separate ways.

Annabeth has the same dilemma as last summer, but worse. The more time she spends with Percy, the more she likes him and the more attracted she is to him. It’s not her fault that he’s such a wonderful person. But still, it’s been a year and he hasn’t made any kind of move. No lingering hands, no almost kisses. 

There’s no guarantee that she and Percy will have any dances together, so maybe she’ll be able to keep up with her cowardly skirting. 

As usual, they wave goodbye to each other on the platform. That morning, she especially wishes she could get a goodbye with a good luck kiss. 

The entirety of NYCB seems jittery all throughout company class. It’s a unique kind of jitter that pops up every time they await the posting of cast lists. 

Annabeth tries to keep her focus on her body during class and the day’s rehearsals. If she can just be consumed by the passion of dance, she won’t think about what the summer holds for her. 

When the day is finally over and everyone is congregated in the hallway waiting for the signal, Annabeth feels like she might actually throw up. She’s not going to be one of those people who push their way to the front so she just waits. 

Some of the other dancers start smiling at her as they walk away from the list, so she waits but with more anticipation. 

_Chase, Annabeth. Manon 2nd cast. Manon._

“Manon?” she says aloud. 

The woman beside her pats her on the shoulder and says congrats. 

In a daze, she steps away from the board and starts to make her way out of the building. She fishes around in her purse for her phone. Before she can call Percy, she sees that she already has a text from him. 

“Call me,” it says.

He picks up after the first ring. “Hi!”

“Percy, guess what.”

“Annabeth, I already know. ABT posted the full cast list.”

She laughs with a wide smile. “No fair! So, what’d you get?”

“Des Grieux,” he answers. “Second cast. We’re going to be partners again. I’m baking a cake tonight!”

Part 10. 

The first day of rehearsals for Manon, Percy and Annabeth barely see each other. They each spend the day in solo rehearsals that leave them drained but also tremendously excited. 

When they get home, Percy unlocks the door and motions for Annabeth to enter first. She drops her bag by the door and stretches her arms over her head. The resulting crack in her back is loud enough for Percy to hear. 

“Ouch,” he says, but then he rolls his neck and the resounding pop is even louder.

“Ouch,” Annabeth replies. 

“I’m gonna take an epsom salt bath,” they say at the same time. 

Annabeth likes going to bed right after she takes a bath, so she says, “You can go first.”

“And you’re going to make dinner? I’m starving,” he says. “How about you soak now while I make dinner?”

He reaches into the pantry and pulls out the bag of epsom salt. It’s more than halfway empty. It’s not enough for two baths. 

Percy looks at the bag for a second then at Annabeth. There are a few different ways that this could play out. One of them could soak that night and the other could deal with it until they bought more epsom salt. They both could take baths but only one of them could use the salt. Percy could cook dinner while Annabeth ran to the store to buy more salt. 

Or they could take a bath together. 

If Annabeth had better impulse control, she would have kept her mouth shut.

“How about I chop up a salad while you shower now?” he says. “Then, you can finish up in here while I shower, and we can eat dinner and share the salt and take a bath together?” 

It comes out as a smooth sentence, just your everyday suggestion of how two roommates can divide their chores. But on the inside, Annabeth is reeling.

Percy’s mouth quirks up, like he’s amused. “Yeah, okay.” 

“I’m being serious.”

“I know.” He starts heading out of the room. “Can I trust you to hard boil some eggs for the salad, or should you leave that to me?”

“I’ve got it, Percy,” she laughs. “Now, hurry up. I’m hungry too.” 

Shockingly, Annabeth feels at ease as they spend the next hour cooking and eating. It’s only when she’s standing very close to Percy in the confines of their small bathroom in a bikini, watching the water rise in their bathtub that Annabeth starts to fully comprehend what she’s signed up for. 

Percy turns off the faucet and climbs in the water slowly.

“Do you think there’s too much water?” Annabeth asks. 

Percy glances up and down her body and she feels her face heat up. “I think we’ll be fine.” 

He pulls his knees into his chest to make room for her. Their bathtub is a great size, all things considered. It’s one of the reasons they chose this apartment. Even so, they’ll be close to each other. 

Annabeth holds her breath as she steps over the ledge of the tub and into the hot water. The water does raise dangerously close to the edge of the tub, but it doesn’t spill over. She also sits with her knees pulled into the chest. 

For a moment they just look at each other. Percy is the first one to crack a smile. 

“Are you feeling relaxed?” Percy asks sarcastically. 

She knows he’s being sarcastic because her shoulders are hunched up and her arms are gripping her legs for dear life. When all of this comes to her attention, she forces her shoulders and releases her arms.

Percy’s expression is unreadable. “We can do better than this.”

Annabeth raises her eyebrows. What on earth does that mean?

He holds out a hand and she takes it without hesitation. In one swift motion, Percy pulls her forward and turns her around. She ends up sitting between his legs with her back leaning against his chest. And it’s so much better. 

They can stretch out their legs and she can rest her head back on his shoulder. Her arms fall easily on her torso. The water rises up to her chest and envelopes her in warmth. 

“Are you comfortable?” she asks him. 

“Mhm,” he hums. “Are you?”

“You can put your arms around me,” she says. 

He moves his arms from where they were resting on the rim of the tub and wraps them over her arms. His hold is gentle but firm, just like how he is when they dance together. She nestles in a little closer and lets out a long breath. 

Maybe they should have turned on some music or lit some candles or something, but Annabeth feels completely at ease in the quiet. 

It’s only when Percy shifts a little and the inside of his thigh rubs against the outside of hers that Annabeth snaps out of the bliss of being in Percy’s embrace.

What on earth are they doing? What is this, their honeymoon? They haven’t even so much as kissed each other and now they’re sharing an intimate moment that she’s sure many married couples haven’t. 

Annabeth wishes she could just turn her head to the side and kiss him, that she could really call him hers. She’s not going to ruin such a nice moment with a “what are we?” talk that could horrifically backfire, so she tries to shut out those thoughts and just relax instead. 

“So how’s your mom?” she asks to get her mind off of Percy. 

Percy chatters about his mom and her current writing projects until the water starts to cool and Annabeth can’t suppress a shiver. Percy feels it, of course, as he’s practically wrapped around her. 

He gives her a little squeeze then opens his arms. She wraps herself in a towel as soon as she stands up and holds another out for him. They both know they’re going right to bed after that, so they brush their teeth together, taking turns with the sink. 

It all feels so right and simple until they’re saying goodnight to each other at their bedroom doors instead whispering the words inches apart under the covers. 

Part 11. 

The first time Percy and Annabeth work directly together on Manon the schedule for the day simply reads, Act I, bedroom pas de deux. 

Ah, yes. The bedroom pas de deux. 

Annabeth is stoked. She loves that pas de deux. The music. The emotion. All of it. But there’s a section that sticks out in her mind more than others. 

She can’t get too far ahead of herself, though. They have company class first and her focus needs to be on properly warming up her body. Clarisse leads them through barre and Percy and Annabeth keep making eye contact in the mirror. Every time it happens he gives her a little smile that she easily returns.

They have a few minutes between class and their pas de deux rehearsal. Annabeth uses the time to towel off and mist her body with some body spray. She refills her water bottle and heads into the studio to put on a fresh pair of pointe shoes, one of the multiple pairs she had rotating for Manon. Percy and Silena show up a minute later with the pianist. 

“Good morning,” Silena says with a smile. “Ready to fall in love?”

Annabeth lets out a breath through her nose. Silena has no idea. 

Instead of really answering, Percy and Annabeth just position themselves in the middle of the studio and wait for her to give them instructions.

“Let’s start at the top. This is when the audience gets to see how in love Manon and Des Grieux are with each other. We need to feel it all, the playfulness, the passion, the sweetness.”

Annabeth and Percy nod along as she talks. She hopes that her blush isn’t too obvious and she wishes they could just start dancing already so that she could blame it on that. 

Percy looks a little nervous himself, his hands are folded together and his smile is a little tight. Silena pulls a chair to the down stage left corner of the room and motions for Percy to sit. 

“Percy, you’re writing a letter. We’ll deal with props later. Annabeth, you sneak up behind him, take his pen and toss it away, then you bouree backwards and open your arms to him. You’re saying, ‘pay attention to me now’. He, of course, happily obliges and runs to you.”

She walks them through the choreography and the story. It would be so easy for Annabeth to act in love with any other partner. It’s her job to gaze into his eyes. It’s his job to hold her by the back of the neck as he lowers her to the floor then runs his hands down her body. It’s all the same as when they’re making sure their legs are fully extended and their fifth positions are all the way crossed and turned out. 

Except it’s not the same to Annabeth. She can turn and battement for days, but seeing Percy act in love with her when she’s sure that he isn’t and having to return all the affection when she knows he wouldn’t actually want it, is almost too much for Annabeth to bear. 

Even worse than the pain of truly unrequited love, is the lurking feeling of hope that she has. There’s something about the way that his hands touch her and the way that he looks into her eyes. Dancing with Percy doesn’t feel like dancing with anyone else, and it can’t just be her, right? 

There’s a lot of stopping and starting as they learn the choreography and work out the partner steps together. As talented as Percy and Annabeth are, learning new choreography always comes with its challenges and this pas de deux in particular isn’t easy. 

“Let’s add on just a little more then wrap up for today,” Silena says with fifteen minutes left of the rehearsal. 

They’re nearly halfway through the pas de deux and Annabeth knows what’s coming up next. A glance at Percy’s face reveals that he does too. 

“This little section is all about eye contact,” Silena instructs them. “Once Annabeth finishes this arm circle with the head release, Percy, you have to be right there waiting for her. Then, maintain the eye contact until the kiss.”

_The kiss._

On stage, ballet kisses are rarely more than quick pecks. This one, however, lasts a full eight seconds. Annabeth knows this because she’s watched youtube videos of the dance more times than she wants to admit. 

She’s not going to make a big deal out of this. She can’t do that. It’s unprofessional. It’ll make things awkward. She doesn’t want Percy to think she doesn’t want to kiss him, but she also doesn't want him to think that she wants to kiss him too much, either.

Luckily for her, it’s hard to focus on holding an extended arabesque and being lifted nearly upside down and ruminate on kissing her roommate at the same time. 

“Let’s listen to the music first, then run it, with the kiss from the arabesque,” Silena says. “This should be really human and natural.”

Annabeth is so thankful for Silena, her calm demeanour and her straightforwardness. She walks them through the kiss like all the other choreography, where they should put their hands and the emotion they’re conveying for the audience. Having a clear plan puts her at ease, except for the butterflies in her stomach because it’s Percy. 

Percy gets on his knee in front of her and looks up with his gorgeous sea green eyes. He gives her a reassuring smile and warmth blooms in her chest. He holds up his hands so she can step between them and he grasps her hips to give her support.

“Ready?” he asks her, quietly, so it’s just between them.

“Yeah. You?”

“Yes.”

Silena counts the accompanist in and Annabeth pushes up onto pointe and extends in a first arabesque position with her right arm up and her left leg straight behind her. Percy holds onto her hips, then stands with his arm wrapped around her waist, positioning her hips on his shoulder. It feels amazing and so secure partnering with him. She can feel the strength in his arms as he slowly flips her body and holds in front of him.

Annabeth makes herself look into Percy’s face and she tries to keep her expression soft, even though dancing with him makes her want to grin. With his hands back on her waist, he places her upright in front of him and it’s time.

En pointe, Annabeth is nearly eye to eye with him. He starts the kiss there by tilting her chin up slightly with one hand and pulling her in with his other hand on the side of her neck. She rolls down through her foot, so she’s standing normally. With the height difference, he has to chase her a little so she pulls him in by the waist. She tilts her head to the other side and slips her arms up and around his neck and that’s when it’s perfect, when she’s closest to him and his hand is cradling the back of her neck. 

His mouth is so soft, yet insistent. They’re playing two characters who are young and stupid in love with each other and it’s exactly how Annabeth wishes Percy would kiss her. There's electricity and excitement to it, but it’s still so tender. 

The eight seconds are over too soon, the pianist stops abruptly, and Annabeth has no choice but to release Percy from her grasp. It’s the last thing she wants to do. Maybe she can ask to run the section again. And again.

But deep down she knows that won’t do the trick. He’s acting. It’s choreography. The love and warmth and desire that she feels for him, and that she was putting into those kisses, are hers and hers alone. 

“That was beautiful, you two,” Silena compliments them. “Let’s run it again from the top.” 

  
  


Part 12. 

“Let me set the scene for you,” Silena says. “You’re in the swamps of Louisiana. Percy, you’ve just rescued her from the jailor and now you’re both on the run. You’ve killed a man, but your only focus is on her. Annabeth, you are so tired. Literally, dead tired. But you love him so much and you just want to be with him and run and jump into his arms like you used to.” 

They’re rehearsing the Act III pas de deux of Manon, the final scene of the ballet. It’s a particularly challenging duet, which is why they’re working on it before other parts of the choreography. 

As Silena described, it’s a lot of running and jumping in Percy’s arms, Annabeth holding her balance on one foot, and Percy lifting her without much of her help. That combination makes the barely four minute pas de deux taxing on both of them. 

“The key, Annabeth, is to keep your core and legs super strong and then use your arms, upper body, and face to convey the exhaustion,” Silena instructs. “And trust him, he’s not going to drop you. Let’s try this turn sequence. Percy, you have to put her right on her box. She can’t help you. Or really, it can’t look like she’s helping you.”

It takes a lot of trial and error to work through the choreography together, as usual, but the process goes as smoothly as it can. Percy is such an attentive partner and his attitude is so positive and focused, Annabeth can easily get lost in dancing with him and finding what feels right. 

The hours pass quickly. Silena glances as the clock on the wall and tells them, “Okay last time for today. Really focus on the emotion for this run. You’re both so exhausted and you’ve been through so much, but you’re trying to capture just a remnant of the joy that you used to have.”

The pianist plays the intro music and Annabeth puts her game face on. She doesn’t have to fully pretend that she’s tired. She can only imagine how Percy feels after essentially bench pressing her body weight for a few hours. 

As the dance progresses, she pours her emotion into her eyes and let’s her body hang. Percy’s face grows more and more desperate and as Annabeth runs into the final lift that ends with her completely collapsing in his arms. Annabeth thinks to herself, “Wow, he’s really going for it.”

She keeps her eyes closed after that because she’s supposed to be dead. She keeps her body limp while Percy lowers her to the floor and starts trying to wake her up. He picks up her arm and drops it. She lets her head lull back while he pulls her chest against his and fake cries into her neck. 

Percy lowers to the floor again gently and clutches her hand against his chest while the piano rings out it’s final notes. It’s only then that Annabeth opens her eyes. Percy’s still holding her hand and she can feel his chest shaking. He’s not fake crying. 

He’s real crying.

“Percy?” she asks, already feeling panicked. He might have been injured. 

“Percy, are you okay?” SIlena echoes. 

“I’m fine,” he chokes out. “Can Annabeth and I just have a minute?”

“We’re done for today. Take as long as you need,” she says, as she’s already walking out of the room. The pianist follows close behind her. 

Annabeth sits up to face him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. It’s just that I spent the past couple hours pretending that you were dying and then I just held you in my arms like you were actually dead. And I thought about what it would be like if you died.”

“Percy, it’s okay.” She took his hand and held it against her ribs, so he could feel her heartbeat. “I’m alive. I’m here.” 

“I know.” He cracks a smile. “It’s just that I love you, Annabeth, and the idea of being separated from you is really scary and upsetting, and kind of my worst nightmare.” 

Annabeth doesn’t know what to say. Is this the big confession that she’s been longing for? He doesn’t want to be separated from her? She hopes that he wouldn’t be happy if she died.

Percy’s hand is still pressed against her ribcage, and all she can stare is look at his face with wide eyes. 

“You’re not getting me,” he says with a sigh, reading her confused expression easily. “I want to stay with you forever.”

“As roommates?”

“No, as partners, like life partners. I want to date you. But not even just date you, more than that.”

Annabeth's heart is soaring and she feels tears prickling at her own eyes. 

“Percy, why didn’t you do something earlier?” she asks. Her voice sounds frustrated but she’s just so happy. 

“Do something?” he asks. 

“Yeah, like why did you never, like, just push me up against a wall and kiss me or something?”

His brow furrows. “Is that what you want me to do?”

Suddenly, she feels embarrassed, but she can’t lie to him. “I mean, yeah. I want you.”

“I want you too,” he reassures her, but his voice is so soft, she can tell he doesn’t mean it in the exact way that she does. 

And then it hits her. Percy has shown her over and over again how much he loves her and wants her, just not in the heated and physical way that she was expecting. His constant encouragement and support. The way he cooks for her and helps her take care of her body. How he chooses to spend his free time with her. He and his mom even came to see her as Dewdrop in the NYCB Nutcracker even though the tickets were expensive and they both have seen enough Nutcrackers to last them multiple lifetimes. 

God, he loves her. She just wasn’t paying attention. 

“Annabeth,” he gets her attention. “I don’t want anyone else. You’re my number one. Always have been. And I know you’re a lot more… physical than I am, but I hope that doesn't-”

“I don’t care about that,” she interrupts him. “You mean so much more to me than that.”

He smiles at her. “We’ll figure it out.”

She nods.

“You’re going to have to use your words.” His voice drops slightly, making him sound a little stern. 

“Okay, I’ll start now. Do you want to kiss me?”

“Yes.”

They’re still sitting on the marley floor besides each other, so all he has to do is lean in and close the space between them. His hand finds the side of her neck and gently pulls her in. The kiss is sweet and it easily turns into another and another. She could stay there in the studio with him all night, but they are technically at work so she pulls back before she gets too carried away. 

“Let’s go home,” she says. 

The phrase has a new meaning now. 

Part 13. 

Percy and Annabeth show up to the end of summer celebration gala dressed to the nines, and much more importantly, hand in hand. They haven’t publicly announced their relationship, but there’s also no reason to hide, so Annabeth doesn’t think anything of it when Percy intertwines their fingers.

It’s only when they walk past Clarisse and Silena does Annabeth realize they may be causing a stir.

Clarisse turns to Silena and says, “I knew it,” to which Silena responds, “Oh thank god.”

It doesn’t take long for people to start congratulating their relationship along with their congratulations for the overwhelming success of Manon. It seems a little over the top for Annabeth; they’re not even engaged.

Maybe they’ll announce that next year. 

She ends the evening teetering out onto the street holding onto Percy’s arm for support. Her high heels are getting to her and she’s on the tipsy side of buzzed. He’s so secure next to her as he hails down a taxi. She holds his jacket closed in front of her with her free hand and rests her head on his shoulder. 

Percy seems to be on a mission to win the award for most chivalrous boyfriend. He opens the cab door for her, and because she complained about her feet hurting on the way home, he offers his back to her and gives her a piggyback ride up the three flights of stairs to their apartment. 

Once they’re inside, Annabeth reluctantly returns the jacket to Percy so he can hang it up and kicks her shoes off right at the front door. She takes the pins out of her hair and runs her fingers through the curls, not caring about how wild she looks.

Percy disappears into his room, no _their_ room, and Annabeth chugs a glass of water in the kitchen. He emerges a minute later in a t-shirt and pajama pants with a tired smile.

She sets her glass on the counter and asks, “Can you unzip me?”

Their kitchen is so small that he barely has to take two steps to reach her. With sure hands, he moves her hair to the side and unzips her dress all the way down from top, exposing her bare back. 

Without thinking, Annabeth shimmies out of the dress and picks up the glass again. She finishes the water then looks up at Percy whose eyebrows are raised.

“What?” she says. 

It’s then that she realizes that she’s standing in just a thong in her kitchen with the overhead light bright and shining above her. She watches him swallow and lets out a laugh. It’s nothing he hasn’t seen before, but the context is new.

Annabeth is more amused than anything. She leans up and kisses him quickly before leaving her glass in the sink. Her hand instinctually covers her mouth as she stifles a yawn.

“Come on, sleepy head,” Percy says quietly. “Let’s go to bed.”

They bump around each other in the bathroom and soon enough, she’s under the covers wearing one of his old t-shirts. It only takes Annabeth lying on her side and reaching a hand out behind her for Percy to get the message. He slots himself behind her and wraps an arm around her waist. It’s such a simple gesture, but it makes Annabeth’s heart squeeze. She’d spent so many nights just a room away longing for this very thing. 

She takes a deep breath and loves how she can feel his chest at her back.

“You okay?” His voice is barely a whisper.

“I’m so happy,” she responds. 

Their relationship hadn’t changed that much as much as she thought it would once they’d started dating. They’d loved each other for a long time and putting a label on it didn’t change any of that.The novelty was the physical affection, the lingering hands, the kisses, holding each other at night and in the early morning. 

She wiggles away from him enough to roll over and peer at his face in the darkness. “What about you?”

“Am I happy?” he says. His voice is low and Annabeth can tell that he’s so close to falling asleep. His hand comes up to cradle the back of her head and he presses a soft kiss to her forehead. “Duh.”

Part 14. 

The following spring, Annabeth is ecstatic when NYCB and ABT announce they’re continuing their summer collaborations. The ballet is The Sleeping Beauty. This is the cast list she’s most worried about because she wants nothing more than to dance Aurora and for Percy to be her Prince. 

It’s no surprise to anyone when they’re cast together again. They’re fan favorites. Their chemistry on stage and off is immaculate. Ticket sales for the shows where they perform are noticeably higher. 

It just makes sense.

Annabeth calls Percy as soon as she gets the news.

“Hello, my Princess,” he answers the phone. 

“This is huge,” she says. “I’m so excited.”

“It’s a fitting role for a principal dancer,” he responds, reminding her of her recent promotion. “I love you so much and I’m so proud of you. Hurry home.”

“I’ll get there as fast as the subway can take me,” she laughs. 

Annabeth smiles the whole ride home and only stops long enough to kiss him right inside their front door. 

Much of her rehearsal time is spent without Percy, which bothers her to no end. They really only have the third act together. It’s all worth it, though, because the third act is their wedding, and includes one of Annabeth’s favorite pas de deux of all time. And as she marries him on stage and dances in celebration, over and over again, she can’t wait to do it for real. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! find me on tumblr at percyheartsannabeth :)  
> song title is from the musical A Chorus Line


End file.
